Tunes, Boris, the Jeremys and PAYFC

Tuesday June 25th 2019

Christine-Grahame-MSP-in-Parliament

Christine Grahame MSP writes her monthly column for Midlothian View.

Not in tune

You have to ask of Midlothian Council and a Labour one at that what on earth it is doing with its finances when it alone, throughout the whole of Scotland is thinking, yes thinking, of privatising music tuition.

At the moment it and it alone charges schools £700 a year as a fee for SQA students. Add to that and it charges the highest council tax in Scotland and must be increasing its council tax take given the large number of new builds and yes you wonder what it is doing with its money.

The u-turn in February was a knee jerk to the demonstration and now it feels it can u-turn again. It will blame the Scottish Government-not a cheep about COSLA of course which agreed all councils settlements and which welcomes the councils funding in these austere times. Oh and not a word from Councillor Jim Muirhead whom I wrote to two months back with the same questions on what representations anyone (I’ll take anyone now) has made to COSLA on behalf of Midlothian Council and its funding. So highest council tax, COSLA happy, Labour’s Midlothian Council on the low road to privatisation in education. You couldn’t make it up.

Brexit, Boris, Jeremys Hunt and Corbyn

To rewind, Scotland voted 62% Remain but UK plc conveniently ignores that. So much for a partnership of equals. Oh and if you votes Yes to Independence then we were on our way out of Europe. Well so much for all that.

Now we have the prospect of Boris or Hunt. Let’s see what these two tumshies have said about us.

The Boris (Eton & Oxford) has said “A pound spent in Croydon is of more value to the country than a pound spent in Strathclyde.” The Hunt (Charterhouse & Oxford)? He tried to rally the Scots to the Union by saying he will make Brexit work for the people of Culloden. Culloden and Butcher Cumberland, the Jacobite defeat and Cumberland’s victorious army crossing the battlefield instructed to bayonet anyone lying dying or injured, says it all.

As for Corbyn he’s too busy straddling that fence formerly the property of the Lib/Dems. Is he for Brexit? Is he for a second referendum? Who knows. Frankly, who cares? Well we should because with such a weak UK opposition it’s a free ride for the right wingers. Eton and Charterhouse are not exactly breeding grounds for social democracy.

PAYFC

It’s timely that Penicuik Athletic Football Club are pushing at Midlothian Council for re-turfing of their grounds.

With all the youngsters who play there, the many, many volunteers it’s another example of the council failing the young of Midlothian. No lesser that Claire Emslie football internationalist for Scotland, played there and still supports the girls under thirteen team. She too like me and SNP councillors want to see the current petition succeed. The impact of keeping this fit for purpose on the health and well-being of the young people of Penicuik is worth the investment.

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